Burlesque

Four poster bed gripped forcefully
Between pale anxious palms
Tremulous in anticipation
And something I can't put my finger on
I stand in the doorway
Observing
Emerald eyes tear beneath the pull
Of breath being forced from your lungs
The heel of his boot
Pushed into the small of your back
Silk tugged ferociously by tattooed hands
I say to you that it's all right
And you'll be well
Pretty actress you constantly land on your feet
You're not reassured
Like you're sentient of something the rest of us aren't privy to
A darkness in you that knows
Breathe Bitch!
He insists
You giggle, it rings void of its usual delight
Yes, there's something you know tonight that I do not
I feel a second presence as he takes your hand
Leading you to your playing field
Your arena of mannequins
Pretty actress what have got planned for tonight
Gracious as always
Faultless façade warily put in place
You dance to an alien melody
Aberrant in your cadence with an outsider
You forged the passion

Pretty actress you salute me at the exit
A kiss on the cheek sends me on my way
To soothe an heated lover
I know today
What you seemed to be familiar with last night
I realize today
The anxious tension with which you waltzed
Finding myself in a different entryway this afternoon
After a call I wish I'd never gotten
There's no sign of you now
Between sterile walls
And the smell of bleach
And the deliberately irregular bleep of the EKG
Erased the scent of your sweet perfume
Slivers of blood-stained white lace
On linoleum floors
Where were you going pretty actress
Before you hit the
Balustrade